Apparatus for trimming photographic prints.



No. 673,909. Patented May l4, l90l. E. H. KIMBALL. APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS.

(Application med Aug. 15, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Shuts-Sheet l.

No. 673,909. Patented May l4, l90l.

E. H. KIMBALL. APPARATUS FOB TRIMMING PHOTOGBAPHIG PRINTS.

(Application filed Aug. 15, 1900.)

fllmlodaw 2 Shuts-Shoat 2.

W km 5 llrrnn STATES ATENT OFFICE.

EDIVARD lI. KIMBALL, OF GLENCOE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES H. SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673.909, dated May 14, 1901.

Application filed August 15, 1900. eerie]. lilo. 26,968. (No model.)

To ntZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. KIMBALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glencoe, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Trimming Photographic Prints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for trimming photographic prints, and has for one object the provision of an ap paratus whereby prints of various sizes may be properly held and trimmed to the desired shape.

Another object is to have the means for holding the print while being trimmed adjustable in such manner thata wide range of prints of difierent sizes and shapes may be held and trimmed upon the SPLIIDG apparatus without any more skill than is required by the ordinary trimming apparatus.

A further object is to have the trimmingplate detachabiy secured to the means for holding the print in such manner that said plate will be lifted from the print simultaneously with the release thereof without the necessity for separate handling of the same.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of an apparatus embodying myinvention in its simplest form. Fig. 2 represents a transverse vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying my invention in its preferred form, and Fig. 4 is a Vertical section thereof on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A indicates a base of any suitable size and dimensions, and B a bail or guiderod rigidly mounted upon the base at one edge thereof and having slidingly and pivotally attached thereto a pair of spring-arms O, which are, in effect, hinged to the bail so as to slide longitudinally thereon, said springarms being bent, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so as to exert pressure upon the base about the center of their length, the outer free ends thereof being bent to form a hook D to engage some suitable catch at the opposite edge of the base.

The base may be composed entirelyof metal, or it may have a metal plate E mounted thereon, as shown in the drawings, and projecting over one edge of the base, so as to afiord a continuous shoulder for the engagement of the hooks D at any point along the edge of the base. Of course the same overhanging shoulder could be provided on the base if the base were made of a single piece of metal or any other suitable material. I have shown in the drawings the plate E as mounted so as to project above the upper surface of the base; but obviously it may be countersunk in the base, if desired, or it may be entirely dispensed with and the material of the base alone relied upon to afford the cutting surface upon which the prints are trimmed. Pressed upon the plate E by the spring-arm O or upon the upper surface of the base, where no such plate is used, is a removable trimming-plate F, having an opening G therein of the desired size and shape to which it is intended to trim the print. This trimmingplate is simply laid upon the base or upon the plate E, with the photographic print interposed between it and the base or plate E,

and when the spring-arms C are forced down,,

so that their hooks engage the shoulder of the base or other suitable catch device provided therefor, the print will be held firmly down upon the base and can be trimmed to the desired shape indicated by the opening G in the trimming-plate. The trimmingplate is not attached to the base in any manner other than by the pressure of the springarms, and by reason of the ready adjustability of the spring-arms lengthwise of the base it will be readily seen that plates of widely-different sizes Within the limits of adjustment of the spring-arms may be used for trimming prints in connection with the same apparatus, the arms being freely adjustable toward and away from each other and capable of being secured at any point in their adjust-meut.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention (shown in Figs. 3 and 4:) the spring-arms (J are provided with spring-spurs I-I, between which and said arms the edge of the trimming-plate may be forced, so that when the arms are released from their catches and swung upon the pivoting rod or bail B the trimming-plate will be carried with the arms, and hence the necessity for handling the trimwing-plate after the trimming of each print isentirely avoided. Likewise trimming-plates of different sizes and having trimming-openings therein of different sizes and shapes may be readily substituted for one another, the spring spurs or clips H affording a ready means for changing the plates and supporting them in both operative and inoperative position, notwithstanding variations in the size thereof and the shape of the trim mingopenings therein.

Such an apparatus is exceedingly cheap, simple, and effective, promotes the elficiency of the operator, and makes comparatively easy the cutting of oval or any other desired shape of print, because the liability of the print to slip under the cutting-plate is obviated and no unusual care need be exercised in handling the apparatus with the print in place.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for trimming photographic prints, the combination With a base, and a guide-rod mounted thereon of springarms adjustably mounted on said rod, and a catch on the base adapted and arranged to be engaged by the free ends of said arms, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for trimming photographic prints, the combination With a base and a guide-rod mounted thereon, of springarms adj ustably mounted on said rod, hooks on the free ends of said arms, and a shoulder on the edge of the base adapted to be engaged by said hooks, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for trimming photographic prints, the combination with a base and a guide-rod mounted thereon at one edge thereof, of a plate mounted on said base and projecting beyond the base at the side opposite said guide-rod, spring-arms mounted on said rod at one end and hooks on the opposite ends of said arms adapted to engage the projecting edge of the plate, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for trimming photographic prints, the combination with a base and a guiderod mounted thereon at one side thereof, of spring-arms adjustably mounted on said guide-rod, catches on the base adapted to be engaged by the free ends of said arms, and a trimming-plate interposed between said arms and the base, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for trimming photographic prints, the combination with a base, aguide-rod mounted thereon at one side thereof, of a plate mounted on said base and projecting beyond the side thereof opposite the guide-rod, spring-arms adjustably mounted at one end on said guide-rod, hooks on said spring-arms adapted to engage the projecting edge of said plate, and a trimming-plate interposed between said spring-arms and the first-mentioned plate, substantially as described. p

6. In an apparatus for trimming photographic prints, the combination with a base and a guide-rod mounted thereon, of springarms mounted on said rod, a catch on the base adapted and arranged to be engaged by the free ends of said arms, a trimming-plate and spurs on said arms for receiving the edge of said plate, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus for trimming photographic prints, the combination with a base and a guide-rod, of spring-arms adjustably mounted on said rod, hooks on the free ends of said arms, a shoulder on the edge of the base adapted to be engaged by said hooks, a trimming-plate and spring-spurs on said arms adj ustably' for receiving the edge of said plate substantially as described.

EDWARD I-I. KIMBALL.

Witnesses:

OTTO R. BARNETT, F. H. DRURY. 

